Whiffletree-hook



E. BRIGGS.

(No Model.)

WHIPFLETRBB 1100K.

Patented Feb. 15, 1887.

i tively little care and exertion.

ened the cost of manufacture and simplified `U'NrTED STATES PATENTEEICE.

EPHRAIM BRIGGS, OF SENECA, KANSAS.

WHIFFLETREE-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,569, dated February15, 1887.

Application filed November 11,1886. Serial No. 218,512V (No model.)

T0 all whoml it may concern.-

Beit known that I, EPHRAIM BRIGGS, of Seneca, Nemaha county, State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWhiffletree-Hooks and Trace-Detachers, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to that class of whiiilel tree-hooks in which aspring-impelled bolt, in connection with a suitable hook, is employedfor securing the trace in position; audit consists in the arrangementand construction of parts, hereinafter more fully described, forsecuring the trace to the whifiietree, and also in means forautomatically detaching the same whenever for any cause it becomesdesirable.

The object of my invention is to furnish to the trade a whifiletree-hooksimple in construction, cheap of manufacture, ornamental in appearance,and which can be easily and expeditiously placed upon ,or removed fromthe whiffietree.

By my invention I have materially cheapthe construction of the device inseveral important particulars, and have so arranged its j parts that thetrace can be quickly and easily fastened to the whiflietreewithout anyliability of slipping or becoming accidentally detached therefrom, andyet at the same time, if desired, it may be instantly released with butcompara- The nature of myinvention and the manner in which the same isor may be carried into effect can best be explained and understood byreference to the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure l is a sideview of my device. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a verticalcentral section. Fig. 4 is a top view with the cover removed. Fig. 5 isa view of the interior of the cover; Fig. 6, a perspective view of thebolt. Fig. 7 is a front view of the yoke.

s A is the cap or attachment in which my present invention is comprised.It is of any ordinary or suitable construction, and its several partsmay be made of malleable iron, brass, copper, or any other suitablematerial. It is preferably made hollow, so as to 4be placed upon the endof the whflletree, and is secured Fig.

rrnly thereon by rivets or the like. It is made slightly tapering towardits free end, and

is provided with a hook, A', which prevents the trace froinslipping offthe bolt when in position.

' The cap A is mortised orgrooved longitudinally, as shown at B and C.It is also grooved or cut away on its sides, as at a a', and thesegrooves are inclined at their front end, b.

C is an oritice formed in the end of cap A, through which passes thebolt D, which is provided with a cross-piece, E, slightly longer thanthe width of the cap A, so as to project at its sides, and is beveled onits under side, as seen at d. A shoulder, D', is formed on bolt D,against which strikes a helical or other suitable spring, e, whichsurrounds the end d of bolt D, and has a tendency to forcethe bolt (whenit is placed in position in cap A) against the hook A', which sets aconvenient distance away from the cap, as shown in the drawings.

The cover 0r lid Jis longitudinally grooved or mortised atjj and cutaway on its sides at j? ji, similar to the grooves and side cuts formedin the cap A..

la 7c are studs which enter holes k 7c formed inthe cover or lid J forholding it in position whenA it is placed upon the cap A. It will beunderstood, however, that screws, rivets, or any other suitablefastening devices may be employed for securing the cover or lid.

In devices for detaching traces so as to in stantly release the horse incase of a runaway it is veryimportant, and indeed essential for safety,that the parts should be so arranged with relation to each other thattheir operation will be smooth, accurate, and certain, therebywithdrawing the bolt without any danger of failure. With this end inview, and to make sure of accurately withdrawing the bolt D, I employ ayoke, F,provided with inwardlyturned ends f f, which loosely enter holesg g formed in the external opposite sides of the cap'A at a properpoint, and thereby secure the yoke in position. The holes g g forsecuring the yoke in position upon the exterior of the cap are solocated with relation to the ends of cross-piece E, which project asuitable distance beyond the sides of the cap, that. upon swinging theyoke backward (in the direction to compress the spring) it will sweepacross the path of these projecting ends and press against them, andthereby withdraw or retract the bolt. It will be understood that by theuse of a yoke, as described, the pressure thereof, when the bolt isbeing withdrawn, will be equal against both of the projections, and thebolt is thereby withdrawn with certainty, and the trace is instantly andwithout failure released from the whiiletree. It will thus be seen thatwhen the bolt D is in the cap A and the cover J placed in position theside cuts formed in the cover and cap will register with each other andform suflicient openings or spaces through which will project the endsof cross-piece E for a proper distance.

In the center of yoke F is formed two enlargements, 7L 7L, placed ashort distance apart, so as to form between them an annular indentationor groove, i. H is an eye or other suitable guiding device secured,referably, on the top ofthe rear end of the cap A.

In case it be desirable to instantly release the traces from thewhiflietree while the vehicle is in motion, or in case of a runaway, Iattach to the yoke F in groove i a suitable strap or chain, I, and thenrun it through an eye, II, and thence into the vehicle, and secure it atsome convenient accessible point, so as to enable any one to take holdof it, and by a slight pull it will cause the bolt to be retracted andallow the traces to become instantly released from the whifletrec.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that the bolt is inextended position-that is to say, projected and forced against the hookA by the force of spring e-if it now be desired to retract or withdrawthe bolt in order to release the trace, it is only necessary to pullupon the strap or chain I, which is secured to yoke F, when it willpress against the ends of cross-piece E and thereby withdraw or retractthe bolt, and the operation of removing or fastening the trace may beeasily accomplished. After this has been done, upon removal of pressurefrom the yoke the spring causes the bolt to remain projected at alltimes against the hook A.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. A whiiiietree-hook and trace-detacher consisting of a cap and coversuitably recessed and provided with side openings, as described, and aspring-impelled bolt having a crosspiece Whose ends project at the sidesof said cap a sufficient distance, and a yoke secured upon the exteriorof said cap` and adapted to sweep across the path of said projectingends, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A whiffletree-hook consisting of a cap and cover recessed andprovided with side openings beveled at b, and a spring-impelled bolthaving a cross-piece the ends of which project at the sides of said cap,and a yoke so arranged with relation to said proj ectingends of thecross-piece that upon its being drawn backward will cause the same tosweep across the path of said ends and thereby retract or withdraw thebolt, substantially as described.

3. The combination ofthe cap mortised and cut away, as described,spring-impelled bolt having a crossepiece whose ends project at thesides of said cap, and a yoke suitably secured to the exterior of saidcap and adapted to sweep across the pathway of said projecting ends, anda chain or cap attached to said yoke. and a suitable cord or chainattached to said yoke, and a guiding device secured to said cap,substantially as described.

4. As an improved article of manufacture, a combined whiffletree-hookand trace-detatcher consisting of a cap and cover constructedsubstantially as described, and having an orifice, a spring-impelledbolt provided with a cross-piece whose ends project at the sides of thecap, and a. yoke adapted to sweep across the path of the ends of saidcross-piece, and a cord or chain secured tosaid yoke, and a guideeyesecured to the cap, all arranged and operatingsubstantially as and forthe pur pose stated.

5. A whifletree-hook and trace-detacher consisting of a cap and coverrecessed and provided with side openings beveled atb, and aspring-impeded bolt having a crosspiece beveled ou its under side at d,the ends of which project at the sides of said cap, and a yoke soarranged with relation to said projecting ends of the cross-piece thatupon being drawn back ward it will cause the same to sweep across thepath of said ends and thereby retract or wit-hdraw the bolt,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day ofNovember, 1886.

EPHRAIM BRIGGS.

W'itnesses:

G. R. BENEDICT, J Aims H. GLnAsoN.

